


Shared Happiness

by yvie



Category: El Japón - Takarazuka Revue
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:13:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23373712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yvie/pseuds/yvie
Summary: A small glimpse of Catalina and Harumichi's married life, before and after.
Relationships: Catalina/Kamata Harumichi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 1





	Shared Happiness

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So, okay. A little disclaimer: I know little to nothing about the time period, so forgive me for any anachronistic moments, and inaccuracies. 
> 
> Also, I'm sorry for the straightforward, non-creative title and summary.

“Do you swear, Bartholome Japon?” Alejandro asked, with a smug look on his face, gun pointed to the sky.

Harumichi turned to her. She beamed at him, waiting for an answer. Instead, he stepped towards her and ever so gently, gentler than any other man she’s kissed before, he pressed his lips against hers. His lips were… rough, and yet Catalina felt like she was in the clouds. With that kiss, she knew the answer already — he did not have to say a word. 

Catalina clasped Harumichi’s warm hand as they ran as far away from the dock as fast as they could, lifting her white skirt slightly so it would not get caught under her shoes. They ran, giggling like playful children, without knowing where exactly they would go. They wanted to disappear from everyone else’s gazes, and just be alone together. Catalina and her now-husband, Harumichi, no,  _ Bartholome _ , were hiding behind the trees of what used to be Don Fernandino’s fields. 

They were out of breath after all that running. Maybe Catalina could even hear the girls’ voices from across the field, but she did not want to hear them. Instead, she wanted to melt in her new husband’s arms, like there was nothing else in the world that mattered. She was leaning against the tree trunk, and Harumichi was standing right before her, steadying himself with his arm on the trunk as well.

“Catalina,” Harumichi chuckled, in between catching his breath.

She felt like an adolescent girl again, with Harumichi gazing at her with those sincere eyes. 

“Yes?” she answered, putting a misplaced lock of hair away from his face with her hand. 

Harumichi leaned forward, steadily, before resting his forehead on her shoulder. Catalina could not see it, but she knew he was smiling. He was warm, like the warmth of the hearth on a snowy winter evening. She pulled him as close as he would allow and held him tight, fingers combing his long hair tenderly. Her dress was muddy now, from all the traversing they did, but she did not mind. 

“Catch your breath, o fearless warrior,” she teased as she patted him on the back. 

Suddenly, she felt his arms snaking around her waist and pulling her even closer. Catalina sighed, deeply. She’s never in her life felt more secure than she has now, in Kamata Harumichi’s arms.

They had already held each other once, in the tavern after they danced together. Harumichi did not have two left feet as he proclaimed himself to have. He was a suave dancer, as one could expect from a swordsman as himself. It might have also helped that Catalina was a good dance partner. The dance had ended with the couple holding each other, and Catalina, without thinking, asked for Harumichi to hold her a little bit longer… she felt her heart was about to leap out of her chest at any moment, and the man holding her in return did not ease the pounding.

And it is happening again, only now they are… husband and wife. 

She played with his hair, running it in swirls over her lithe fingers as she held him. They stayed there for a few more moments, Catalina breathing in the hot summer air coupled with the scent of Harumichi’s hair. It seemed like he did not want to let her go at all, and neither did she… but it was starting to get dark. 

“Shall we… head back to the inn?” She asked him.

Harumichi lifted his head away from her shoulder and slowly eased his arms off of her waist. He gazed at her again, with those caring eyes that frighten her with the abundance of affection that was reflected on them. They were soft, and yet burning with passion at the same time. He gave her a small smile, then held out his hand.

“Let us go together,” he offered. 

She felt like her heart was starting to overflow; she wanted to cry, but not before him… not yet. She took his hand, and she laced their fingers together as they walked back to the inn. The actual distance towards the inn was not far, but they took their time getting there. They strolled, making the most of their time alone together. 

* * *

It had been a year since Catalina’s husband died, and she had just met this man, who was posing as her husband, not too long ago. And yet, something about him drew her to him. He was a gruff man who rarely laughed, a sharp swordsman. Men of his kind do not scare Catalina at all, for her husband was a man like that as well. A great swordsman. 

No, men like that do not scare Catalina. She could handle men like that, and thanks to Harumich, by herself as well. It was the threat of war that frightened her -- that warriors have two fates: to die or to die later. Catalina’s husband was no warrior, he simply had the skill for the sword, and yet his life was taken brutally. Swords themselves do not scare Catalina, but she did not want to experience that kind of loss again, until… she met Harumichi. 

From the moment she saw him, she knew Harumichi was a different swordsman from all the other swordsmen that had come and gone in her life and her inn. He was a swordsman who wanted… nothing to do with the sword anymore. It was strange to her, for the men here would get their hands on a sword the moment they could, but Harumichi was sincere. He was humble… and yet remorseful.

They had the same eyes of grief. She wore her mourning dress the same way he had given up the sword. They both had the same heavy hearts after losing the person that they loved, so that meant that they at least had one thing in common. 

Haru and the other girls adored Harumichi like a big brother, for he protected them from Don Ferdinando’s thugs, and that made Catalina’s heart soften for him more. Harumichi may seem to have a cold exterior about him, but inside she knew that his kindness knew no bounds. He was a strong man, but soft. 

Catalina was firmly bound to her past, a fly caught in a spider’s web. She needed to break out somehow and to move on from it. She needed to stop thinking about it, and little did she know that Harumichi had the same thoughts as well. He taught her how to handle a sword and defend herself, granted that she stopped wearing her mourning dress. 

He would take up the sword again to teach this young woman how to defend herself, and she would learn to defend herself from invaders to protect what was rightfully hers. Catalina was strong, emotionally, but now she needed to be able to hone her physical strength as well. Given her small stature, swords were difficult for her to handle. (They ended up laughing about it instead of dwelling over it too much.) Harumichi offered to teach her hand-to-hand combat and the dagger instead. 

Needless to say, Catalina found Harumichi… good on the eyes. The first time she laid eyes on him, she could objectively opine that the ex-swordsman was tall and statuesque. His hair was smooth and well-kept, and his clothes fit him nicely. It was when he watched Harumichi in a fight for the first time that she started to truly appreciate how elegant he was. His feet moved fast, almost like a swan’s wing, as he deflected every attack Don Fernandino’s goons had against him. He did not even use a sword once. 

When he became her swordsmanship tutor, Catalina tried her hardest not to get lost in gazing at him. She felt like a blushing adolescent again. He would stand close behind her to help her get a certain fencing position correctly, and she could immediately feel his heart beating steadily against his chest. He towered over her and that nearly made her legs wobble. She kept herself composed, however. Despite her face flushing every time Harumichi’s hand would touch hers during a lesson, she was a very fast learner. Soon enough, she could follow up Harumichi’s attacks, using her speed and size to take advantage of the situation. 

She learned from him, and now, they are... married. 

Harumichi had plenty of regrets in life, but what he absolutely cannot forgive himself for was the death of his lover, Fujino. Had he been quicker, had he defied the lord’s orders and dashed to Waga Castle, he could have saved Fujino or died with her in the ashes. He wished he had done everything in his power to save her, but instead, he was alive. 

Getting through the months knowing Fujino was gone to him forever was excruciating. He did not want to be alive anymore, and he was looking for a place to die. He hoped Date Masamune would give him that swift death when he let the traitor Tokuro run free, but instead the lord simply brought him on the envoy to Spain. Harumichi knew very little about Spain. All he knew was that it would take them a year to get there. A year of reflection, then. A year of meditation. A year of regret. 

Harumichi wanted to forget about Fujino. Fujino was long, long gone. There was no other entertainment on the ship, save for booze and songs. But that, of course, would not last for a year. It was somewhat a miracle that Harumichi did not depend on booze to forget Fujino because it so happened that every time he did, he would always remember her somehow. (This would mean waking up in a drunken stupor naked beside another fellow samurai. This happened more times than Harumichi could count, but he did not talk any of it to heart. They happened because he wanted to… forget.)

When they had finally set foot in Spain, Harumichi saw hope on the horizon. As the waves moved and tousled underneath the ship towards Spain, Harumichi wanted to try to live. He did not know the reason why, but there was a new light in Spain, and he hoped he could find that light that would make him keep on living. 

To his surprise, that light turned out to be a woman, and her name was Catalina. 

When he first laid eyes on her, he was stunned. She carried herself with a mature, put-together air about her. She wore black as if she was going to a funeral. Harumichi could sense in her eyes that there was a deep sadness in her, that she blanketed with her sweet smile. 

She kept busy with work, to mask the pain and distract herself — a tactic Harumichi knew all too well. It was obvious that Catalina was beautiful, but Harumichi did not care for the outward appearance. What was in her heart? That is what Harumichi wanted to find out. He learned that she was a woman left behind, as well, as Fujino was for a short time before... well. Her husband died at the hands of violence, and she had been mourning since… but she never once gave up. She always kept pushing and pushing to keep the inn, plus the people in there, standing. 

When she pointed the sword at Elias to defend Haru, despite not knowing a single thing about wielding swords, Harumichi felt his heart leap out of his chest. This woman, this small, unassuming woman, was braver than any man he had known on the battlefield. Catalina was unpredictable, and he never knew what she would do next. 

The next thing he knew, she was asking him for swordsmanship lessons. He agreed, but only on the condition that she change out of her mourning clothes — there was no room for the past anymore. Both of them will be lifting their heavy hearts until they are light. 

Catalina arrived to practice in a light blue dress, which made her skin glow in the summer sunlight, they complimented her better than the dark, depressing black. He wanted her to forget, and  _ he _ wanted to forget as well. Right then, there were only two of them. 

She exceeded expectations, in every manner. There was no way, he thought, that Catalina would ever look at him as a man. She had far too much on her mind, what with running the inn, and the girls and Don Fernandino’s lot. She was a busy woman, and Harumichi could understand why she might not have time for love. 

Then, after a disruption in the palace by Elias, Harumichi had no choice but to postpone one of their little training sessions. He searched for Catalina in the inn, and the fields, but he found no sign of her anywhere. He asked Haru if she knew where her mistress was, and she pointed him to the direction of the tavern. It was getting dark, but Harumichi headed straight there, not wanting to keep her waiting any longer.

She was sipping on a cup of wine when she saw him. She beamed at him, her face like an angel. She was waiting for him all this time, in her white-and-blue dress.

“You’re here,” she said, as she put down her wine glass on the table.

“My apologies, we were supposed to practice —”

She put her hand up to stop him. “Please don’t worry. I want to … enjoy my time in town. Come join me?”

Harumichi learned that Catalina used to be a dancer in the tavern and the star as well. That would explain how well she quickly picked up the techniques that he taught her. The other dancer in the bar kept showering Catalina in compliments, and for a moment, he saw her blush. Then, a mischievous glint shone in Catalina’s eye. She led him to the dance floor and she started to dance.

She was elegant, like a swan. He was so caught up in watching her dance that he had forgotten how to follow along, he chalked it up to simply not knowing how to dance. They were not taught dances like these in Japan after all. 

Catalina turned from him and started talking about her husband when Harumichi asked if this was where they met. Lucky that man indeed, that he would be able to woo the most jewel of the tavern. What kind of a man was he, Harumichi thought, but then it did not matter anymore. The man was gone, and he did not want to see Catalina being sad because of that.

He took her hand, squeezed it, and then they danced together, as much as Harumichi could follow. Taken by emotion, Catalina pulled herself into his arms, hiding her face in his chest. Suddenly, Catalina felt small and vulnerable. Harumichi knew that Catalina was more than capable of protecting herself, but Harumichi wanted to make her feel safe as well. 

He wanted to protect her. 

They had not known each other for the longest time, and now, they were on their way back to the inn, as man and wife. 

* * *

Everyone was in the inn, waiting for their return. Alejandro was there, the girls, Miguel, Roberta, and even Elias. Alejandro was holding a bottle of champagne, ready to pop it as soon as the couple arrived from their small detour. The corked popped out of the bottle, and most of the people in the inn cheered. Haru and the other girls were just about ready to throw the grains of rice at them, but Catalina stopped them before they wasted any good food. Still, she allowed for a small celebration. 

Alejandro passed glasses of wine around the room, so everyone could partake in their little revelry. Catalina was standing close to Harumichi the whole time, giddy. Whenever she would take a look at him, she felt like she was going to be engulfed in his passion. Harumichi’s eyes were so tender and gentle, one could never assume they were from an expert swordsman. 

Harumichi only had one glass of wine, for he knew he had a low tolerance for alcohol, and he wanted to enjoy his first night with his now-wife. Of course, the decision that they get married was abrupt. The now-Bartholome started to wonder if perhaps Catalina was forced to decide because there was little to no time left until he could go back to Japan. Still, he looked at Catalina like she was the starry sky and his heart would swell. 

Fujino could never be replaced in his heart, but this woman he just met not too long ago, happened to grow an entirely new space in his heart that all this time he thought was closed off. The thought of love finding him never occurred to him, and yet here he was with his wife, who he adored and respected more than anyone he had ever met in Spain before. 

As soon as the night got colder, Alejandro called for everyone to go away so that the newlyweds could have their time together. (From the corner of Harumichi’s eye, he could almost see Elias protest.) The girls headed back to their quarters, and Alejandro offered to see Elias off. Suddenly, the whole lobby was silent. Haru and the girls had cleared the room, and there were only the two of them left. 

The newlyweds.

Catalina, realizing that she had never even shown Harumichi her room before, took the man by the hand and led him there. It was on the first floor of the inn, slightly hidden so that no guest would drunkenly stumble upon it. There was a small staircase that one had to tread to reach the room, and Harumichi had to duck so he would not get hit on the head by the ceiling. Catalina used her keys, and then opened the door to her room…  _ their  _ room.

She let go of his hand briefly to light the lamps and candles for illumination. Without knowing it, Catalina’s hands were starting to tremble and her knees grew weak. It was only then starting to sink in that now, she had a husband again. She was married to a Japanese man that she barely knew… but she chose him. She wanted him. 

“Harumichi,” her soft voice called out. She sat on the bed and patted the space beside her so her … husband… could sit as well. 

“I think you mean Bartholome,” he corrected playfully. 

He put his sword down and shrugged off his cloak before he sat down on the bed beside her. Catalina kicked off her boots that were probably muddy from the tread up the hill. She felt her heart was about to leap from her chest, and he felt that as well. 

Catalina took a deep breath. Her hands were made into fists, resting on top of her lap.

“...But you are not Bartholome.”

She looked at his face, which was obscured by shadows in the darkness. She saw only the side of it, but she knew that he was looking at her with those same longing eyes. He reached out and touched the back of her hand.

“I am not, indeed,” Harumichi agreed, “I am not and I will never be.” 

“And I am not your girl.”

“No, you aren’t…” 

“Yet we are married…” 

“That… we are.” 

Harumichi kept nodding, caressing the back of her hand with his thumb. He wanted to make Catalina feel more at ease. He would never force her to do anything that was out of her will. Plus, if he ever did anything unruly, he taught her well enough to point a dagger against his chin whenever she felt threatened by anything. 

“I’m your  _ wife _ ,” she said, finally lacing their fingers together again. She edged closer to him, to feel his warm.

“And I am your husband.” 

He drew her gently by the arm into an embrace. She smelled of berries and grass. She fit so well in his arms  — she was all he ever wanted in a person. Catalina made him believe in himself again, and breathed in a new life in him… a new life with her. 

“Harumichi, I have never felt so happy in months.” Her voice was trembling, so much for happiness. Still, she tried to keep as much composure as she could around Harumichi. 

“Neither have I,” Harumichi said, “though our marriage was perhaps a little too quick.” 

She chuckled and her laugh was like a melody. “I was the one who agreed to it after all.” Catalina moved away from the embrace so she could look him in the eye. “I wanted to keep you here. Who else will teach me the Muso-Ganryu technique? Who else will I teach dancing to?” 

“Hmm… I see. Is that the only reason why you kept me?”

Catalina playfully hit him on the shoulder, giggling softly. “No, of course not. I chose you, didn’t I?”

“And I did not have any second thoughts at all…” 

He cupped her face, edging ever closer. Catalina felt her heart about to tear out of her chest at any moment. She had kissed Harumichi once before, in front of people even, but now, to kiss him in her —their— made her nervous. Harumichi as well felt like his heart was being pounded on like a drum. 

“Do you want this, Catalina?” Harumichi asked his lips only a breath’s space away from hers. 

“I do.”

Harumichi pressed their lips together for the second time that day, and this one was a little shyer than the last. Both times were charged with emotion. The emotion the first time was full of bliss and happiness, that of a kiss during a wedding, but the emotion this time was the hesitance of newlyweds who almost have no idea what they were doing. But Harumichi tried to recall how he would handle his lovers, and how much he cared for Catalina. He wanted to show that at the same time.

“We… do not have to —”  Harumichi said face still very close to hers.

Catalina nodded, still staring at Harumichi’s lips. She did not want to rush anything, but she ended up initiating the next kiss. This time, she found the fire again. The original Bartholome once praised her for being a sensational kisser, and it was time to show the new Bartholome what she could do as well. 

“Why do you hesitate, my Harumichi?” Catalina asked him, looking right into his eyes. Her chest heaved up and down as she tried to steady her breathing.

“I do not want to hurt you.” His hands were on her waist, pulling her as close as he could without sitting on her skirt.

“You will never hurt me.” She stroked his face, knowing very well that she could trust this man with her whole being. 

Harumichi was never one for words. Instead, he started pressing kisses down her neck as she made soft noises. He wanted to pamper her, to make her feel like the best woman in the world, for she deserved no less. It was a struggle to get her out of her wedding dress, but they happened to do that after a while, accompanied by a flurry of kisses. 

For Catalina, one kiss on the neck, and she was gone. As soon as everything she wore was on the floor, she had her legs wrapped around Harumichi, as he kissed her all over. Harumichi was a tender lover, as tender as his gazes and his embraces. Her heart was burning with passion, and she knew the night would not be over until the dawn broke from her window. 

* * *

Their first night as a married couple was, to say the least, wonderful. Catalina and Harumichi fell asleep sometime in the middle of the night, but neither of them would be able to remember when. She remembered cuddling into her husband’s chest and kissing him goodnight. Luckily for her, she was still in her husband’s arms. 

She kissed his cheek, then his nose, then his chin, planting soft kisses all over to wake him up. Harumichi pried his eye open, moaning at the sight of the sun. Catalina giggled and continued planting kisses on his face. She was still high off the love they made last night, and she did not want anything to end. 

“Good morning, husband,” Catalina crooned in his ear.

Harumichi smiled and titled his head to look at her. 

“Good morning, wife.” 

She nuzzled into him to get more warmth from his bare skin. Harumichi held her close as well, with no intention of letting her go. 

“Harumichi?” 

“Yes?”

“How many children do you want?”

Harumichi’s words escaped him for a moment. Then, he realized that  _ yes,  _ he wanted to spend the rest of his life with this woman. He closed his eyes and pictured a future for them, with little dark-haired babies running around the inn playing with wooden swords.

“Two,” Harumichi murmured. 

“One girl, one boy?” She answered, her finger making circles on his chest.

“Yes —” He rolled on top of Catalina, the blanket slipping off his body. Catalina made a sound of surprise as she laughed. “But before that, I want to spend more time alone with my wife.”

Catalina, amused, pulled him by the arm and planted kisses on him again, ready for another round. 

__


End file.
